NPA: Military losses fitting welcome to Yano et al

MANILA, Philippines - The New People's Army (NPA) rebels said Tuesday that recent military losses are a fitting welcome to new Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Alexander Yano. NPA Southern Mindanao regional commander Rigoberto Sanchez said the military’s counterrevolutionary campaign is in total quandary. "The Armed Forces of the Philippines counter-revolutionary campaign is in a state of total quandary. The sustained and series of tactical offensives of guerrilla units of the Merardo Arce Command-New People's Army from Monkayo in the North, Digos City in the South, Cateel and Mati City in the East and Arakan Valley in the West launched in recent weeks underscore this condition. Despite pronouncements to the contrary, the AFP is completely unable to derail the momentum of the armed revolution," Sanchez said in a statement on the Communist Party of the Philippines website. The NPA statement, which was posted before dawn Tuesday, said that even as a new set of commanding officers of the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command made "worn-out" promises to crush the NPA, it continues to suffer from staggering blows. Among the recent losses Sanchez cited were: * May 6 explosive-based ambush in Arakan Valley, North Cotabato that all but wiped out a platoon of the Charlie Company-39th Infantry Battalion-AFP (3 killed in action, 21 wounded in action), no NPA casualty; * May 11 disarming of the Lorenzo farm in Calinan, Davao City (10 high-powered rifle seized); * May 13 strike operation against the 28th IB-AFP in Montevista, Compostela Valley (the 1001st Brigade used four attack helicopters in bombing operations after three soldiers died on the spot; (no NPA casualty) * May 16 ambush of the PNP 1107th Provincial Mobile Group in Mabini, Compostela Valley. (3 high-powered rifle seized, 1 killed in action, 11 wounded in action including its group commander; no NPA casualty); * May 16 strike operation against the Charlie Company-67th IB-AFP in Cateel, Davao Oriental (1 killed in action, 4 wounded in action; no NPA casualty); * May 16 and 19 operations against the 39th IB-AFP in Digos City (no NPA casualty); * May 19 disarming of the BJMP Provincial Jail in Mati City, Davao Oriental (14 firearms seized) * May 21 strike operations against the 102nd Division Reconnaissance Company in Monkayo, Compostela Valley (3 killed in action, 2 army lieutenants wounded) "In less than two months, the 10th Infantry Division suffered significant military losses: 32 killed, 42 wounded and 2 taken Prisoners of War (POWS). The NPA netted 35 high-powered rifles in 76 tactical offensives launched during this period alone. In the political aspect, the AFP gained nothing except further isolation from peasants and lumads (indigenous communities) due to the abusive conduct of its military operations," he said. He said this serves as a fitting welcome that sends a clear message to Yano, Eastern Mindanao Commander Major General Armando Cunanan, 1001st Brigade Col. Allan Luga, 67th IB Lt. Col. Duyawin and 39th IB Major Lyndon Paniza. - GMANews.TV